Friday, September 10, 2010

L'Estrange: A Lyon in Love

A Lyon was in Love with a Country Lass, and desir’d her Father’s Consent to have her in Marriage. The Answer he gave was churlish enough. He’d never agree to’t he said, upon any Terms, to marry his Daughter to a Beast. The Lyon gave him a sour Look upon’t, which brought the Bumpkin, upon second Thoughts, to strike a Bargain with him, upon these Conditions: that his Teeth should be drawn, and his Nails pair’d; for those were things, he said, that the foolish Girl was terribly afraid of. The Lyon sends for a Surgeon immediately to do the Work; (as what will not Love make a body do?) and so soon as ever the Operation was over, he goes and challenges the Father upon his Promise. The Countryman seeing the Lyon disarm’d, pluck’d up a good Heart, and with a swinging Cudgel so order’d the matter, that he brake off the Match.

An extravagant Love, consults neither Life, Fortune, nor Reputation, but sacrifices all that can be dear to a Man of Sense and Honour, to the transports of an inconsiderate Passion.

Source: L'Estrange 123.
Leo Amatorius

Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the Crane images. In this illustration, we can see why the poor lion has fallen in love: Cupid has struck him with one of love's arrows!

M0012 Perry140

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